BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Mountaineering enthusiasts have resumed their trekking activities after more than a month of cancellation due to the threat of the New People’s Army.
Raymond Zamorra, a mountaineering event coordinator here, said they have resumed the activity due to clamor of mountaineers to savor the eco-tourism potentials of the province.
“We only coordinate discreetly to avoid being tracked, this is for our own security and safety anyway, but it is not regular compared to the previous years,” he said.
Zamorra said they have earlier canceled all mountaineering events and activities as scheduled due to the death of a mountain biker in the boundary of Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya and Asipulo, Ifugao.
“The case is still unsolved and yet the suspect is still at large. We heard that there were firefights between government soldiers and NPA rebels a day or two before the mountain biker’s death,” Zamorra said.
He added that they have also refrained from using the social media for coordination and invitation of mountaineers seeking eco-tourism adventure in the province and neighboring provinces.
Nueva Vizcaya is one of the major attractions for mountaineers because of its pristine mountains and favorable weather conditions especially during the second semester of the year.
Mountaineering attractions include Mt. Ugu in Kayapa town, Mt, Palali in Bayombong town and as an alternative route to Mt. Pulag in Benguet through the mountain trail in Ambaguio town.
The Ambaguio trail is now being develop by the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Tourism through a convergence program to lure more tourists to use the nearest route to Mt. Pulag.